Islamic fundamentalist claims he is victim of propaganda
However, Anjem Choudary, a British-born self-styled cleric who has been investigated numerous times by the British police for his extremist pronouncements, repeated his assertion to a gathering in Trinity College, Dublin, last night that followers of Islam could not accept secular authority.
Mr Choudary said democratic, liberal states were plagued by rape, paedophilia, pornography, bestiality, drug and alcohol abuse and suicide. “When you push the boundaries of freedom and liberalism, that is the result. That is how people practice their freedom. We do not want that imported into our community.”
The audience at the Dublin University Philosophical Society debate also heard a radical Muslim cleric, who has been banned from Britain for promoting extremist views, say that followers of Islam could not accept the authority of a secular state.
Omar Bakri Mohammed spoke in a video message to the debate where Muslim fundamentalists and moderates argued the motion that Islam is incompatible with western liberal society.
Lebanon-based Mr Mohammed, who lost his asylum status in Britain after saying the British people brought the London bombings on themselves, said Islam was a complete way of life that could not yield to any other way. “Islam is a complete system of living, the Sharia system. Islam has political beliefs — it cannot co-exist with another political belief.”
He added: “There will be strife. It could be political, it could be ideological, it could be military struggle.”
The contribution by Mr Mohammed and the presence of fellow extremists, including Anjem Choudary, Quadeer Ahmed, Ishtiaq Amalgir and Mohammed Shamsuddin, prompted objections from Muslim students at the university.
In a statement on behalf of the Muslim Students Association, Doa Baker, said Muslims and Islam were at their lowest ebb because of global political events and last night’s debate made matters more difficult.
Ms Baker said Mr Choudary “fuelled fear and hatred”. “We protest the presence of Mr Choudary at this debate,” she said.
Meanwhile, Dr Ali Al-Saleh, chief Imam to the Irish Shia Muslim community, said the opposing speakers followed an ideology that used the name of Islam to commit the most savage crimes.
He said he was living proof that Islam was compatible with western liberal values, because he and his family were able to practice their faith freely in Ireland and he and the opposing speakers were able to speak openly in a way which would be denied them throughout much of their spiritual homeland.
